Disappointed in Garmin Topo 2008?

[DruNuts]

Hello,

 

I am ready to upgrade from my base map on my vista hcx. I mostly use my gps for hiking, mountain biking, and geocaching. I am just wondering if it would be worth my time and money to create custom maps or just dump the 80 bucks into garmin's topo map? I understand that the accuracy of garmin's topo isn't the best and you can't set it to stay on the road. Do those problems occur when you create your own maps using 3rd party software? Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[+fratermus]

Hello,

 

I am ready to upgrade from my base map on my vista hcx. I mostly use my gps for hiking, mountain biking, and geocaching. I am just wondering if it would be worth my time and money to create custom maps or just dump the 80 bucks into garmin's topo map? I understand that the accuracy of garmin's topo isn't the best and you can't set it to stay on the road. Do those problems occur when you create your own maps using 3rd party software? Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

The topo series is not designed to be used as a road map (TOPO Canada notwithstanding), so I wouldn't worry about that bit. Doesn't fit into your hiking/biking/caching model anyhow.

 

If it were me I'd:

 

* get an older, Garmin TOPO off eBay now that the newer TOPO is released. They are not locked. If you are patient and pay attention you should be able to get it for about $40 shipped.

* augment with route/track/waypoint files created by gps users in your recreation area, and post new ones that you make.

 

Making maps is a non-trivial undertaking and would almost certainly take significantly more than $80 of your time to do. Unless it's fun for you, in which case "welcome to your new hobby". :-)

[+Bcre8iv]

I have the topo maps and city navigator both installed on my Oregon 300.

 

The topo maps are not routable, and not extremely detailed to where it shows trails (at least in my area NJ).

However they are more helpful than not having maps at all. It helps when you are in the woods and can at least reference a pond or body of water on the map as well as nearby roads.

 

I've looked into downloading some home brew maps, but I haven't found anything special for my area. I'm not technically proficient enough to create my own maps and would much rather pay to have reliable maps than to have spend so much time in learning how to do it.

[roguenode]

You may have already checked, but depending on what area you are looking for, there may already be high-quality free topo's/trail maps out there. My 60Csx arrived yesterday and I loaded JBensman's (mytosis on this forum) topo and trail maps for my area. They are VERY NICE! You can search by state at GPSFileDepot and see what free maps are out there. The site also has some road maps, see if there are Ibycus versions for your area.

Edited January 22, 2009 by roguenode

[+Red90]

Free topo maps already exist...

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/nh

[+Parzival]

Free topo maps already exist...

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/nh

 

Do these topo maps work on nuvi 360's?

[+Red90]

Free topo maps already exist...

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/nh

 

Do these topo maps work on nuvi 360's?

 

Sure, any Garmin mapping GPS.

[+Team CeDo]

I agree the Garmin topo 2008 isn't all it's cracked up to be!!

Has anyone created a free topo map set for Florida yet?

Also looking for trail maps as well.

[+qlenfg]

I'm not much into hiking and backpacking other than related to geocaching, so I can't really say I know alot about topo maps. However, I do have an older Garmin topo loaded on my Colorado, and more than once its been off enough to put me on the wrong side of the creek or river. In any case, it at least shows me the elevations and generally what to expect on the trail and its better than the base map or CNNA NT when you are off-road.

[DruNuts]

Great! I have the NH topo map downloaded onto my computer. I can't view them on my computer and I don't know where to start to get it onto my GPS. Help please.........

Edited January 22, 2009 by DruNuts

[+Red90]

Great! I have the NH topo map downloaded onto my computer. I can't view them on my computer and I don't know where to start to get it onto my GPS. Help please.........

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...-with-your-gps/

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...armin-gps-unit/

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

If you don't need them on your computer, and just want to load to the GPS, the easiest way is to download SendMap 20, connect your GPS and just drag the map file onto the SendMap icon.

[Forkeye]

I tried to use Topo 2008 in Hawaii,last fall for road navigation,forget it ! get to a road junction and it would show me way off in the boonies somewhere.

[+fratermus]

I tried to use Topo 2008 in Hawaii,last fall for road navigation,forget it ! get to a road junction and it would show me way off in the boonies somewhere.

 

Topo 2008 is not intended for road navigation.

[MtnHermit]

Topo 2008 is not intended for road navigation.

Don't agree.

 

While Topo 2008 certainly will not route along roads, it should accurately show your position relative to a road. The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

 

Especially true if it's Topo 2008!

[+fratermus]

While Topo 2008 certainly will not route along roads, it should accurately show your position relative to a road. The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

 

This is an incorrect assumption. Even road nav maps will not show you on the road in most cases unless the GPSr is set to "lock on road" (or does it automatically).

 

Look for the endless variety of threads entitled things like "why does [fill in the blank] show me driving BESIDE the road!?!?!?!?!?!".

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have the topo maps and city navigator both installed on my Oregon 300.

 

The topo maps are not routable, and not extremely detailed to where it shows trails (at least in my area NJ).

However they are more helpful than not having maps at all. It helps when you are in the woods and can at least reference a pond or body of water on the map as well as nearby roads.

 

I've looked into downloading some home brew maps, but I haven't found anything special for my area. I'm not technically proficient enough to create my own maps and would much rather pay to have reliable maps than to have spend so much time in learning how to do it.

If you mean that the topo maps will not auto-route, have you tried setting up a route on your own by selecting POIs and the order in which you want to find them.

If your are trying to enter an address and have the topo map get you there, that is not what a topo map is for. If that is want you want you would have to use a street map.

[+Prime Suspect]

Topo 2008 is not intended for road navigation.

Don't agree.

 

While Topo 2008 certainly will not route along roads, it should accurately show your position relative to a road. The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

Topo maps show far, far fewer roads than the ones designed for road navigation. As such, they tend to not indicate every curve and angle a road may take, to cut down on the data size. So if the intersecting road is not present, the location could be quite a bit off. TOPO maps are not designed for auto-navigation. 50% of the time, they won't be able to create a route, and the other 50% of the time, it's a route no sane person would use.

[MtnHermit]

Topo 2008 is not intended for road navigation.

Don't agree.

 

While Topo 2008 certainly will not route along roads, it should accurately show your position relative to a road. The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

Topo maps show far, far fewer roads than the ones designed for road navigation. As such, they tend to not indicate every curve and angle a road may take, to cut down on the data size. So if the intersecting road is not present, the location could be quite a bit off. TOPO maps are not designed for auto-navigation. 50% of the time, they won't be able to create a route, and the other 50% of the time, it's a route no sane person would use.

Then I must be spoiled.

 

I'm using the 24K Topos from Above the Timber and I haven't found any roads missing that show on CN 2009. Quite the contrary, those maps show roads and trails that don't appear on CN. So that's my frame of reference. My experience is that when I get to a junction, the map and GPS both agree. When I walk a twin track, and switch tracks, I can see that subtle shift in the tracklog.

[+billwallace]

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...-with-your-gps/

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...armin-gps-unit/

So ... my MapSource doesn't have the map selection dropdown menu shown in the tutorial listed above. I d/l'd the img file from the 'author's' site instead of the executable from the gpsfiledepot site. How do I get MapSource to recognize the img file? Or do I have to d/l the executable from gpsFileDepot??

 

thnx

[+coggins]

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...-with-your-gps/

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-...armin-gps-unit/

So ... my MapSource doesn't have the map selection dropdown menu shown in the tutorial listed above.

Because you haven't installed any mapsets yet.

I d/l'd the img file from the 'author's' site instead of the executable from the gpsfiledepot site.

That gmapsupp.img file is meant to be copied directly to a memorycard, not to be used in MapSource.

How do I get MapSource to recognize the img file?

It can be done, but as it's been done for you, why pull your hair out.

Or do I have to d/l the executable from gpsFileDepot??

You don't have to, but it's the easy way.

[-Oz-]

The executable is definitely the easy way.

 

You'd have to use MapsetToolkit to install it in mapsource otherwise.

[+Prime Suspect]

Topo 2008 is not intended for road navigation.

Don't agree.

 

While Topo 2008 certainly will not route along roads, it should accurately show your position relative to a road. The poster said he was at a road junction. If so, the position marker and that junction should coincide on the map. If not, either the maps are wrong or the GPS is showing the wrong position, most likely the maps.

Topo maps show far, far fewer roads than the ones designed for road navigation. As such, they tend to not indicate every curve and angle a road may take, to cut down on the data size. So if the intersecting road is not present, the location could be quite a bit off. TOPO maps are not designed for auto-navigation. 50% of the time, they won't be able to create a route, and the other 50% of the time, it's a route no sane person would use.

Then I must be spoiled.

 

I'm using the 24K Topos from Above the Timber and I haven't found any roads missing that show on CN 2009. Quite the contrary, those maps show roads and trails that don't appear on CN. So that's my frame of reference. My experience is that when I get to a junction, the map and GPS both agree. When I walk a twin track, and switch tracks, I can see that subtle shift in the tracklog.

But that's not the map software we're discussing.